Swiss army knife maker branches out into solar chargers

Nigel Donnelly

The Swiss army knife may have been usurped by the smartphone as the take-everywhere gadget for most people, but manufacturer Wenger isn’t taking the change lying down.

Recognising that electronic devices aren’t much use with a flat battery, Wenger has launched a range of portable solar chargers that roll up when not in use.

The chargers are available in three sizes: the Standard with 2.25W power output, the Top with 4.5W and the Pro with 6.75W.

The Swiss army knife may have been usurped by the smartphone as the take-everywhere gadget for most people, but manufacturer Wenger isn’t taking the change lying down.

Recognising that electronic devices aren’t much use with a flat battery, Wenger has launched a range of portable solar chargers that roll up when not in use.

The chargers are available in three sizes: the Standard with 2.25W power output, the Top with 4.5W and the Pro with 6.75W.

Each model uses an array of polycrystalline solar panels and a high-capacity battery (2200mAh on the Standard, 5000mAh on the Top and Pro) with a USB port output stores power for when gadget recharging is required.

Wenger reckons that in good sunlight, a smartphone can be full recharged in anything from four hours to 90 minutes, depending on the model.